


A New Wind's Scent

by jju_nyaa



Series: New East Port Adventures [1]
Category: NU'EST, SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - 18th century, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Mythology, Friendship, Light Angst, M/M, Pirates, Romance, Romantic Fluff, Sirens, pirate!Jonghyun, siren!Minhyun, there's a side ship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-12
Updated: 2020-04-17
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:01:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22998103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jju_nyaa/pseuds/jju_nyaa
Summary: Few towns like New East Port could ever get the seas to bring in a pirate crew and wash up a wanderlust siren to their shores on the same godawful stormy winter night.
Relationships: Hwang Minhyun/Kim Jonghyun | JR, Jeon Wonwoo & Kim Jonghyun | JR
Series: New East Port Adventures [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1883365
Comments: 36
Kudos: 45
Collections: Spring Blessings (Nu'est 8th Anniversary Fic Fest)





	1. The Quartermaster

**Author's Note:**

  * For [wintercrystale](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wintercrystale/gifts).



> ...and for Spring Blessings NU'EST 8th Anniversary Fic Fest by [nufics](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nufics).
> 
> Prompt 91: _minhyun as a stranded siren and jonghyun as the port town's resident pirate getting asked for help on what to do about the siren_
> 
> Far is a certified prompt queen. <3

**— » — « —**

The wind was unforgivably cold. Despite upturning his coat lapels to protect his nape and ears from the building frost, the quartermaster still shivered as he peeked through the spyglass he carried. He was sitting on a boulder next to the cliffside path, the only spot overlooking the cave farthest from the docks. Towards this cave the fisherfolk of New East Port were reportedly filing en masse.

Indeed, even as the quartermaster collapsed the brass tubes of his spyglass and rubbed his hands together for warmth, more and more people were heading towards the cave; it was the one that children usually came to for bathing in the summer — thank goodness they were approaching winter then and not many young hearts would brave the icy waters within. The people headed there were not exactly looking to bathe either. The quartermaster watched as people gathered just outside the mouth of the cave, taking a spot on the sand or by the surrounding rocks, and waiting — or were they really waiting? 

The wind blew once more, and with it came the cold and … a sound. The quartermaster stiffened. He scrambled up from the rock he was sitting on and pulled out his spyglass again, surveying the scene below before his hand fell to his side. He sighed. They shall need _him_ , and with that, he would have to get to work. He may as well take precautionary measures while waiting for summons to arrive, hoping that none of their crew would need to do anything after all. The quartermaster doubted it the moment he even thought about it. Unstrapping the rifle slung across his back, he set to work, wondering how many bullets he had with him and if his aim was actually good enough.

**— » — « —**

Choi Minki was the port master’s apprentice but he might as well be the port master himself, having done all the work in the past two years. All he had been waiting for was for his distant uncle, one of the lesser Lord Choi’s in town, to finally meet his maker so Minki could officially inherit the position from him — alas, he might have to wait for another half year before said relative succumbed to pneumonia. In the meantime, Minki was left to do all sorts of work: clerical, administrative, and occasionally, just like that morning, grunt work. He did not want to seem entitled but, at the same time, he thought it was high time that he had an errand boy of his own. These persistent thoughts hounded him as he hurried towards The Quack, their very own Lord Kwak Aaron Youngmin, Baron of Nottsoon’s infamous, inappropriate-for-his-title establishment. Inappropriate because it was both an inn and a pub and it came to pass because Aaron didn’t care a smidge about his title, nor did anyone in New East Port for that matter. 

The smell of freshly baked bread greeted him as he entered through the back door to the kitchen, which was the only entrance open at this time of day. It was barely dawn when he had received the report and made the decision, rushing out to seek the location of his query. He had not even properly tied his cravat, something that a bright-eyed, slightly flour-faced Doctor Kang Dongho mutely pointed out to him. The sawbones-cum-baker had just finished loading a new batch of loaves in the oven when he turned to see Minki wiping the mud off his boots before coming in and savouring the warmth of the room.

“They say he’s here?” Minki asked, fumbling for the buttons of his shirt as he tried to catch his breath. Dongho nodded.

“Upstairs, same room,” answered the doctor, smiling at the expression of relief from the other man. “What do you need him for?” he inquired, removing his apron and wiping the remaining flour from his face with the kerchief he pulled off his head.

“I don’t quite know exactly,” replied Minki. The sight of Dongho’s unkempt curls sent a grin across his face, distracting the apprentice from his current mission. He threw himself at the doctor, both to welcome his friend back in town and to seek further warmth in his arms. Dongho secured Minki against himself and rested his cheek against the latter’s cold ear for a while, until the two of them found themselves moving, somewhat hesitant at first, to meet one another in a deep and hungry kiss. They remained that way for a while, pausing only to catch their breaths before dipping into each other again. When a moan escaped Minki and his face felt more heated than the room’s current temperature, he reluctantly pulled away, clearing his throat. The grin was back on his face, albeit flushed and somewhat shy.

Dongho chuckled. “I missed you, too,” he said, lightly tugging at Minki’s neat ponytail. “Come on, then.”

He opened the door leading to a hallway, with Minki in tow, who then remembered to fix his tie as they ascended the staircase. Minki knew the rooms in Aaron’s inn well enough. The one they were heading for was the best one, which was officially Aaron’s personal chambers, but also one which the young lord rarely used because he lived in the central part of town. However, a certain someone did have privileges to occupy said room whenever he wished, who would soon be disrupted by Minki’s errand.

“They need him to know for sure what it is about, I suppose,” said Minki with a shrug, waiting for Dongho to produce the key.

“Well, I won’t be around for it as I’ll be doing visits,” said Dongho, pushing the door and heading straight for the thick curtains, drawing them open. There was barely any light outside and the doctor opened the windows to let that morning’s autumn gales in. Minki gasped and soundlessly swore at the sudden dip in temperature, the charging winds blowing away remnants of the previous night’s warmth. He pulled his coat tighter to himself.

“Jonghyun-ah,” called Dongho, who had moved towards a man-sized lump in the middle of the bed, buried underneath a thick layer of bedclothes. He began pulling at the sheets from each direction, revealing a foot, then an elbow, then finally a mop of dark hair. “Jonghyun-ah,” he repeated. “They need you.”

“—ffff,” groaned the mop of hair, the previously exposed foot and elbow pulling back beneath the blankets. Dongho and Minki sat on either side of the lump named Jonghyun and pulled at the sheets to see the rest of his head. Face still buried in the feather pillow, it was the epitome of comfort, so much that Minki felt an unexpected anger bubble from his gut. He himself had wanted to sleep in, huddled under the covers of his own bed. Instead, he was shaken out of sleep at half past four so he could look for Kim Jonghyun — only to see him bundled so snugly in a bed that Minki could only dream of occupying. It brought him savage pleasure to pull the rest of the blankets off of what he knew was Jonghyun’s completely naked form. 

The piteous moan that the sleeping man soon gave was music to Minki’s ears. “Rise and shine, Captain!” he said over Jonghyun’s wailing. Said captain sought and huddled towards the next nearest source of warmth, which was the doctor sitting next to him. Dongho welcomed Jonghyun in his arms with a laugh, allowing him to bury his face in the doctor’s chest. He embraced his friend in a manner unbothered and affectionate, bare-assed though he may be.

“Send him away, Dongho, please,” begged Jonghyun, shining eyes peering out warily at Minki from the frills of Dongho’s shirt.

“I would but you’ve got to get up, Jonghyun-ah,” answered Dongho, catching the pair of breeches that Minki threw in their direction. The apprentice went on to search for the rest of the captain’s clothes — shirt, waistcoat, stockings, and all the others soon followed, all of which the doctor caught deftly and handed over to his captain.

Jonghyun let go of Dongho with much reluctance, shivering as he threw a baleful look at his own clothes before putting them on. Soon, even Minki was helping the captain dress up, combing his hair and gathering it back into a ponytail just like his; their morning’s grudges towards each other promptly dismissed in favour of longstanding friendship and camaraderie. Minki embraced Jonghyun and kissed his young yet weather-beaten face; it had been months since he last saw him and Dongho. Perhaps he didn’t really mind waking up at ungodly hours if it meant seeing two of his favourite people, after all.

“I still don’t know what I’m needed for,” mumbled Jonghyun as he shrugged on his heavy, worn-out greatcoat, hiding from view the twin pistols and cutlass that he always carried. Dongho handed Jonghyun his hat.

“None of us do,” said Minki as he closed the windows and drew the curtains, satisfied with how they effectively wrestled Captain Kim Jonghyun away from his much-beloved mistress, Lady Sleep Uninterrupted from the land of Forty Winks. “All Aaron-hyung told me was to send for you.” 

“Am I to be finally sent to the gallows?” asked Jonghyun in jest, appearing a tad too interested than Minki would have liked.

“You might wish but he would never,” answered Minki vehemently. “ _We_ would never.” 

Detecting that the apprentice had been upset by his question, Jonghyun bowed his head. “I’m sorry,” he said.

“I certainly didn’t miss this constant pining over the noose,” grumbled Minki as they made their way downstairs, returning to the kitchen so Dongho could check on the bread. The inn staff had by then begun their morning duties; having recognized the three men as their Lord Aaron’s friends, they bade them a good morning.

“Try to forgive him, Minki-yah,” said the doctor, taking out the last batch of loaves to let them cool on the table. “Being back home allows him to indulge in discourse with his conscience, something he barely gets to do while we’re out at sea. That, and sleeping au naturel.”

“I could care less about his choice of sleepwear on land,” dismissed the apprentice, somewhat embarrassed about his little outburst. Minki simply could not help but be upset at the thought that Jonghyun still was unable to accept what he did for a living. One would think that doing it for nearly a decade would have eased Jonghyun’s guilt — at least enough to trust that not one soul in New East Port, not even the most wicked, would ever wish to see him hang.

“Hyung said one of your men is waiting by the cliffs,” said Minki as he threw Jonghyun out in the street and pushed a neatly wrapped loaf of bread into his hands.

“Am I to go alone?” Jonghyun asked incredulously.

“The doctor and I deserve a good breakfast and so I shall help him make it,” said Minki, nonplussed and confident. The same could not be said of Dongho, who knew the extent of creativity that the apprentice applied to his culinary endeavours.

“I’m the captain and that doctor—” began Jonghyun, but Minki already closed the door on him, “is my first mate.” Jonghyun’s sigh was drowned out by the howling wind, as well as the quick prayer he uttered for Dongho’s safety from poisonous concoctions. He set out for the cliffs, arms folded around himself except for when he would occasionally put his hand up and over his head to prevent his hat from being blown away.

**— » — « —**

The quartermaster’s pocket watch indicated sunrise yet the sun still hid behind the clouds, not even bothering to take a peek or two. The winds seemed to have no intention of calming down either. The previous night’s storm merely ran out of rain, it seemed, leaving only violent gusts with which to assault the town in the morning. Despite all that, none of the fisherfolk gathered by the cave showed any signs of wanting to leave. One needed not be a superstitious pirate in order to figure out that something was indeed amiss. However, one had to be a superstitious pirate in order to figure out what exactly had to be put to rights. At the very least, someone in authority — the baron, most likely — knew that they needed help from the superstitious sort. The solicited help did come soon enough, although the quartermaster nearly fired his pistol at him. 

Footsteps betrayed by the scrunching of dirt from the rough trail, the captain was forced to raise his hands in surrender. One hand still clutched the strings holding a brown paper package together. He had come upon his quartermaster while the latter was in the middle of loading a pistol. His shipmate didn’t hesitate in cocking his gun and aiming it at the perceived intruder. Only when he recognized his own captain did he lower the weapon, and so did the captain with his hands.

“Begging your pardon, Hyung,” Jeon Wonwoo mumbled as soon as Jonghyun joined him, sitting on an upturned empty crate which Jonghyun recognized was from their ship. The captain was about to dismiss the apology, believing it was for pointing a gun at him, when Wonwoo cocked his head to the direction of the cave.

“I’ve ordered Seokmin to bring us spare guns but—” and Wonwoo trailed off, seeing how Jonghyun had caught on and pulled out his spyglass to inspect the scene. 

“I see him over there,” said Jonghyun, lowering his scope.

Wonwoo nodded. “He’s always had the best hearing and could recognize music from farther out than anyone. I’m sorry I couldn’t stop him.”

“Surely it could not be helped,” said the captain, “not with a siren song luring everyone to go over there. There _is_ a siren hidden in the cove, isn’t there?”

“You sure know your lore, Captain.”

“You’re a more learned man than myself, Wonwoo-yah, you know them as much as I do,” said Jonghyun, appreciating the well-stocked pile of arms that had been prepared in the short time it took to get him out of bed and out by the cliffs. He pulled out his own pistols, checking if they needed reloading.

“I know books,” said the quartermaster, chuckling. “You’ve lived what’s written in them.”

“Don’t they usually die in books, by the end of it?” asked the captain, genuinely curious. “And you’re not that much of a fledgeling, Wonwoo-yah. You’ve seen many things.”

“I’ve never seen a siren in all my life before, Jonghyun-hyung.”

Jonghyun closed his eyes and took a deep breath, the air in his hometown always to him a soothing balm. It was not much by way of smells; it was saltwater and human life, often shabby and polluted and unpleasant. Yet it was home — his home — and was nothing like the purer air of the seas he had been sailing since he was sixteen. He had always preferred the dismal, always looked forward to that same familiar scent whenever he would return.

He exhaled and opened his eyes, his strengthened resolve reflected in them. It was the first time from home that he could smell the purer scent of beyond the horizon, like a fragrance amidst the stink. Quite a shame that he would soon have to get rid of it.

“Have the cannons been prepared?”

When Wonwoo answered in the affirmative, Jonghyun stood up, pointed his pistol towards the sky, and fired.

**— » to be continued « —**


	2. The Baron of Nottsoon

**— » — « —**

There was something in the air of that particular land that made him sing more. It made him feel that if he sang with all of his being, an emptiness will be filled, a yearning will be satisfied. So he sang — of sweet hopes, of bitter truths, of bittersweet memories. He sang in the night, through the fierce winds and torrential rain. As the storm died down, his voice carried out clearer — reaching hearts and swaying minds to hasten to his side. And quickly the people came to him. With each note, eyes trained on the faces that drew near, he searched for the one he thought he knew by heart yet feared would not recognize upon first sight.

He kept on singing, until the outside of the shelter showed the faces even clearer, or as clear as can be even as he crouched low behind the rocky outcrop he hid from. Each time someone new came along, he would peek out and look, and if he saw not what he was looking for, he hid once again and sang more of his song.

He wondered if the one he sought would ever answer to his tune the way these poor unfortunates did. He felt somewhat sorry for them — how they sat out there, hearts aching with longing as he sang — because he knew they will go on sitting out there, hearts breaking in despair, the second he stops. Yet on his tune went, and on his search went, as he himself started feeling the same longing slowly turn into despair, cold and slicing through his heart.

That was until the air cracked and the sky darkened and the voices screamed … and his ears rang and the pain made him fall back and hit his head against the rock.

**— » — « —**

The volley of gunfire went on for a good while, signalled when Jonghyun fired his pistol. A round of cannon fire had hit the cliffs prior, sending debris flying all over the beach and the fisherfolk scampering for safety. And towards safety they went, for Lord Kwak Aaron Youngmin, Baron of Nottsoon had his men — sailors — on the ready to usher away the confused, the confounded, and even those still clinging onto their spots by the rocks, crying out for the music to continue. Jonghyun’s crew, meanwhile, went on firing their pistols at the cliff while their captain, quartermaster, and a few of their comrades made their way towards the cave.

“Hyung!” cried Seokmin upon recognizing Wonwoo’s and Jonghyun’s forms through the smoke and dust that had yet to settle by the rocks. The previously held-hostage pirate stood up on shaking legs before stumbling towards the pair. “It was the most beautiful song I’ve heard my whole life!” he gushed, tears in his eyes and traces of laughter on his lips. Wonwoo pulled Seokmin to his chest to comfort him, murmuring in his ears words that Jonghyun could only surmise as he himself patted Seokmin’s head.

“Go on, Seokmin-ah, head for the merchant ship and find Soonyoung,” said Wonwoo as he let Seokmin go, trusting that the young man would be stable enough to make his way on his own. Jonghyun went forward, with lithe feet finding the path hidden among the rocks towards the cave entrance.

“We need light,” Jonghyun called out and a torch was provided as the captain went in, followed closely by the quartermaster. Darkened further by the smoke and dust, the pair could barely see in the cave anything other than themselves. It took a few more tries to make anything out of the rocky shelter before Jonghyun sighed and declared, “Better we wait out the dust.”

“Halt the gunfire and more light?” asked Wonwoo. 

Jonghyun nodded. “And more pistols.”

**— » — « —**

It was closer to mid-morning when the smoke had cleared and the dust had settled all throughout the beach, now free of everyone but an assortment of Jonghyun’s crew and the baron’s men. A gentleman had arrived as well, well-groomed and dandy, flanked by a small entourage of servants and soldiers alike.

“The Lord Kwak Aaron Youngmin, Baron of Nottsoon!” cried the herald who had gone ahead of the said gentleman, now announced as New East Port’s singularly most influential noble. Lord Aaron smiled at the cheers of his men and Jonghyun’s crew alike, first and foremost complimenting them on a job well done.

“As always, I could count on all of you, O magnificent souls spread out in this expanse of sand and sea, to keep all of our townsfolk safe and sound no matter what time of day,” Aaron went on as his group of servants began setting up a modest tent, filling it with breakfast rations. “What say you to a bit of refection, eh? Come on, have a line up!”

“My lord, what is a refection?” asked a sailor who lined up anyway.

“Nothing more than the breaking of your fast, my good lad!”

Lord Aaron left the small gathering to their little feast, hearty chuckles abound, as soon as he privately received word of Captain Kim’s location. Eyes glinting in anticipation, the noble made his way towards the cave alone, completely unperturbed by the difficulty that his dandy legs had to endure. The sand, heavily soaked by the previous night’s storm, clung to his shoes and soiled his stockings. His movements were sprightly however, for the baron was indeed a young man, nearly just as young as the pirate captain he was soon to meet.

“My lord, you’ve come,” greeted the quartermaster. Wonwoo looked like a noble and dressed like a rogue, as given away by the multiple jewelled piercings on one ear and the abundance of rings on his fingers. For the most part, the likes of the baron would never have accepted the proffered hand from the quartermaster, even if it was in assistance to the trickier portion of the rocky path. But Wonwoo was one of Jonghyun’s men — and was thus in Lord Aaron’s private employ.

“Thank you, Wonwoo-goon — yes, I came as soon as I heard the cannons,” said Aaron as he hopped into the cave and let go of the pirate’s hand to pat his shoulder in appreciation. The baron’s feathered hat made ostentatious shadows across the walls as he followed Wonwoo towards the torch lights thrust in cracks on the rocks.

“Lord Aaron’s here,” Wonwoo announced just as Jonghyun disappeared behind a rocky outcrop, a splashing sound echoing around them. The quartermaster perched on a nearby boulder, his rifle ready at a moment’s notice. His watchful eyes hardly left the rock from which their captain disappeared, ears strained for any untoward changes in the pattern of Jonghyun’s movement and breathing.

“Well?” Aaron asked after a while. “Where is it? Jonghyun-ah, is it a pretty one?”

“Hello, Hyung,” Jonghyun’s voice carried from behind the rock. “It’s a pretty one, all right. A lovely brunette, too. But…”

“But?”

“I think it isn’t quite what you were expecting.”

**— » — « —**

The creature lay motionless in Jonghyun’s arms after he peeled its body off the rock, undaunted by the copious amount of brown hair covering most of its form and the lower half partially hidden in the water. The pirate drew out a knife before reaching out for the long, thick strands, parting them to reveal a pale face — and an injured head. He tipped the face to the other side to inspect the bloodied temple, noting the depth of injury before going back to his study of the face. It had a sharp nose, a well-defined jaw, and a sharp gaze, which the pirate found out when the creature opened its eyes slowly, blinking dark brown orbs before focusing on Jonghyun’s own.

It was then that Captain Kim Jonghyun found himself face-to-face with a siren in the closest — and most dangerous — proximity he had been to his whole life. Close enough to be caught unawares the moment the creature reached for his face, leaned in, and captured his lips in a kiss.

He was drowning in a scent he could only describe as being from beyond — beyond the horizon, he would always call it. It was the same scent he had breathed in from the early morning wind, only this time overwhelming and near to suffocating. Perhaps it did not help that his mouth was full of its source and his eyes were locked in its sharp gaze. Jonghyun felt engulfed by the sea, sweeping him in waves and compelling him to give in and let go. Instead, he gripped his knife harder and pressed it against the siren’s face, the tip of the blade pointing at the corner of the creature’s eye.

“Well? Where is it? Jonghyun-ah, is it a pretty one?” Aaron had called out from the other side of the rock.

Jonghyun pulled away once the siren released his face, the latter then attempting to wrestle the blade from the former’s hand. In the silent struggle between pirate and siren, Jonghyun gripped the hair closest to the injury and pulled. The creature fell back against the rock once more, its face scrunched in mute pain, allowing the pirate to lean back a safe distance and point the knife at its neck.

“Hello, Hyung,” Jonghyun called out in response as soon as he had his wits back with him. Remembering his errand, he plucked the torchlight he left to the side and placed the light nearer to the siren. He continued his scrutiny of the creature before him and added, “It’s a pretty one, all right. A lovely brunette, too. But…”

Eyes having strayed from the siren’s pretty face and lovely hair, Jonghyun frowned at the torso that was partly concealed by the same lovely, chestnut locks. Even without pushing all of the hair aside, the pirate could tell that the siren had a very solid, well-built, and _male_ torso.

“But?” Aaron asked.

Jonghyun tried his best to fight off the laughter that was bubbling from his gut. He managed a warm smile, directed at the confusion evident in the siren’s expression. “I think it isn’t quite what you were expecting,” the pirate answered, stashing his knife and torch away and pulling instead at the kerchief knotted around his wrist.

“Do you have a name, siren?” Jonghyun asked gently as he picked at the knot, then unravelling the cloth. When the siren did not answer, he continued, glancing at the injury, “Did you forget it? Would you rather I give you one?”

The siren blinked, as if recovering from a daze. “No, I’m — my name is Minhyun.”

“Minhyun,” said Jonghyun, trying the name out as a curious expression overtook his features. Something about saying its name and looking in its eyes made the pirate pause before leaning in and saying, “Open your mouth, Minhyun.”

**— » — « —**

When he came to, his head felt like it had been cracked open. Eyes having long been used to darkness, he peered at what looked like dancing shadows around him as he tried to make sense of where he was. He felt a gentle touch turning his face to the side as his eyes fluttered open. Minhyun’s vision was then met with starry night skies and a pair of wings — and the siren was overcome with an aching want.

It was the face Minhyun knew by heart and he was thrilled to have recognized it at first sight.

Long ago had it been since he felt that he could finally rest — once the emptiness was filled and the yearning was satisfied. It was only a matter of diving in and claiming for himself what Minhyun thought was his — and so that was what he did. He spared no time in seizing the man’s mouth with his own in order to consume him, to take him in, to absorb the lights in his eyes and reclaim the wings on his back. This man, along with all the wonder he possessed, was only for Minhyun to take.

But the man would not be subdued — he fought back and pointed a blade at Minhyun’s face, threatening to pluck out his eyes with it. It stunned Minhyun to find out that this man — _his_ Jonghyun — was capable of menace despite the tenderness with which he held the siren earlier in his arms. Minhyun was dazed so much that his grip on Jonghyun’s face slackened. Only instinct made the siren push away the hand that held the steel against its skin. Even that was not enough and Minhyun was thrown back against the rock, head throbbing from where he had been hit previously and where Jonghyun gripped his hair ruthlessly.

Minhyun fought back tears from both the pain and his fear of the blade piercing his skin. His eyes followed every single movement of the man named Jonghyun — how he answered to the voice that called his name, how he looked at Minhyun as if he were studying him, how his eyes sparkled with amusement as he answered the questions of the other voice, and how he looked at Minhyun again but this time, he asked for his name.

Jonghyun even looked minutely apologetic when he thought Minhyun had been struck dumb by the injury to his head, prompting the siren to give his name up instead of letting the man come up with one for him.

“Open your mouth, Minhyun,” Jonghyun had said. It was not a request.

Minhyun did open his mouth but only to ask why he was being commanded to do so. Before he could make a sound, the cloth went into his mouth and round the back of his head. The man had swiftly gagged him and similarly bound his hands next. Minhyun resented Jonghyun for it. At least, until Jonghyun placed his arms around Minhyun to help him up, offering himself as a crutch, albeit one that had his guard up. Minhyun looped his bound arms over Jonghyun’s head in acceptance, until he heard a click — Jonghyun had cocked a gun up at him even while his other arm supported Minhyun’s waist. 

“Walk,” he ordered.

**— » — « —**

When Jonghyun emerged from behind the rock, half-supporting what looked like a beautiful young woman with dark brown hair going past her thighs as her only clothing, the baron had eagerly come forward to retrieve her from the captain.

“Hyung, he’s—” Jonghyun started, instinctively shielding Minhyun from Aaron when he felt the siren flinch beside him.

“‘He’?” Wonwoo echoed, having then left his post to join them. Curiosity over the creature gave the quartermaster enough courage to reach out and tilt the siren’s face towards the light. “Pretty, indeed.”

“Ah, but you’ve muzzled her! Goodness, Jonghyun-ah, remove those restraints!” Aaron interposed, concern and indignance etched across his features. 

Jonghyun regarded his employer and friend for a moment before relenting, then taking out his knife to cut Minhyun’s bindings. “Sing, and I’ll shoot you,” he muttered, holding the siren’s gaze to extract his agreement to silence before removing the kerchief from his mouth.

Minhyun sighed, rubbing his wrists and pushing his hair away from his face to better survey the three men before him. Wonwoo, noticing how underdressed the siren was by human standards, unstrung his cloak and hung it over Minhyun’s shoulders.

“Why, he is naught but a boy…” 

Lord Aaron’s face fell as soon as he realized that the siren he had been looking forward to meeting was not a woman as he had expected. Jonghyun’s expression was half sympathetic, the other half mildly amused.

“I’m sorry, Aaron-hyung,” said the captain. “You’ll find your siren bride soon enough.”

“Soon enough!” the baron exclaimed, finding in himself the good humour to laugh at his own ridiculous wishes. “Hopefully sooner than the next season’s ball where I’d have to politely decline yet another batch of new debutantes.”

“Won’t anyone from the next season be someone to your taste, my lord?” Wonwoo inquired, but Jonghyun shook his head. “Aaron-hyung already knows who’ll be presenting next season and they…well, they deserve a much better man than this baron of ours.”

“I beg your pardon — Jonghyun-ah, did you just—”

“Then, buy time with this one,” the quartermaster went on, unperturbed, surveying Minhyun. “Dress him up as your mysterious fiancee until you find a female counterpart.”

“There’s already so many things that could go wrong with that proposal, Wonwoo-goon,” said Aaron with a hint of despair.

Minhyun then spoke, his voice honeyed with a hopeful, comforting tone. “Despair not, my good lord. I can help you. I, too, have been looking for someone for so long that I feared the search would never end and that my song would never reach. But you must go on believing, my lord, and carry your song with hope and happiness, and a passion that you must never, ever hold back—”

The gunshot rang loud and clear in the cave and Minhyun fell to his knees, a hand to the side of his face. He looked up to see Jonghyun’s face frozen in quiet anger, his pistol pointed at Minhyun.

“Sing again, Minhyun,” said the pirate, holding his gun out to Wonwoo, who immediately replaced it with a loaded one, “and I will shoot your ear off for real this time.” He aimed the new gun towards the siren, who, while clearly shaken, could not help but grin, impressed by the captain’s vigilance.

“Now, now, my goodness,” Lord Aaron intervened, “let’s not get into a scuffle. Jonghyun-ah, put away your gun. And you, Minhyun, is it? You _did_ promise not to sing. Never do it again and I swear upon my honour that no one will hurt you in this town. Now, come, we’ll get you cleaned up and dressed. I have this lovely little inn and—”

“You’re taking him in?” Jonghyun asked incredulously, watching as the baron helped the siren up to his feet. “ _To_ the inn?”

“I can’t have him in my house,” said Aaron, shrugging. “And he’s still in your charge, Captain Kim.”

“Then why can’t I just get rid of him? We’ll get on my ship and I’ll maroon him leagues from here.”

Aaron chuckled. “What nonsense! Haven’t you heard?”

Wonwoo cleared his throat. “Uh, about that, Captain ... Our ship’s mast had been wrecked and we’ll need to wait for the carpenters to even find supplies for replacement …” Jonghyun glared at his quartermaster until it dawned on him. 

_‘Siren songs draw sailors to shipwreck.’_ The _Night Goblin_ sailed, even if only briefly, to be in position to fire at the cliffs.

Jonghyun closed his eyes and took a deep breath, the musty air in the cave doing nothing but aggravating his frustration. He exhaled, opened his eyes, and kicked a small rock with his boot before stalking off without another word.

Lord Aaron watched the pirate captain’s retreating back, brotherly fondness evident in his eyes. “We’re all grown men now yet Jonghyunnie’s still so adorable when he sulks.”

**— » to be continued « —**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for submitting this unfinished but 🙈 we'll, uh, get there. Eventually.
> 
> Many, many thanks to J-chan, for the beta. You're awesome 💕


	3. The Pirate Doctor

**— » — « —**

Wanderlust, he was told. It had been ten years since he was overcome by a restlessness he could not name — until some time after and he had seen some of the world beyond the home he grew up in. He met a few of his own folk who had begun the same journey before him and who had helped him understand why he did what he felt he had to do. Slowly, he had come to terms with why he had been raised to fend for himself, to live on his own early in life. For his kind might be one of those doomed to roam the earth alone, to repeatedly uproot themselves in search of something that they may never even get a glimpse of.

Despite that, Minhyun had long thought as to why he had never felt the same depth of despair that he had seen in other sirens. He had attributed it to optimism at first — on his thinking that he would eventually come close to finding the one he sought, blind and uninformed though he may be. Now, however, he realized that fate had in fact been kinder to him — much, much kinder — and the thought of the pirate captain’s back was all the proof he needed to reach that conclusion.

“You’re smiling,” said Lord Aaron, drawing Minhyun away from his far off thoughts and back into the carriage he was then sitting in. He was being brought into town — properly clothed now — riding towards the inn that Aaron had mentioned. Aside from the cloak, Wonwoo had also lent him a set of his own clothes, fetched from the ship before the quartermaster parted ways with the siren and the baron so he could go after his captain.

“Did you see something to your liking?” the baron asked. The question gave Minhyun the impression that he could name whatever he wanted and Aaron would perhaps give it in a heartbeat. He drew his eyes away from the window to face the baron, who was looking at him kindly enough. Perhaps, this Lord Aaron would be someone who would indeed listen.

“Jonghyun,” Minhyun began, pausing a little when he felt the man beside him stir upon hearing the mention of the captain. Kwon Soonyoung was his name, master gunner at the _Night Goblin_ , called upon to replace Jonghyun as both Lord Aaron’s guard and Minhyun’s keeper. Like his captain, Soonyoung maintained a pistol pointing at the siren at all times, although the gunner kept it underneath his coat so as to not offend the baron’s sensibilities.

Minhyun turned to Soonyoung as well. “That is to say, the captain...where might he be? Where did he go?” he asked of either of them. Both raised an eyebrow in curiosity, and Soonyoung looked to Aaron first for confirmation that it was all right to answer the question.

“He’s gone off to see the ship,” said Soonyoung, grinning at Minhyun moments later. “Impressive damage you’ve caused it, too — never have I ever seen a mast so evenly split before. And to think we’ve only sailed a little just so we could fire our big guns at the cliffs, eh? Dunno why you’re keen on the captain’s whereabouts though. Jonghyun-hyung is nothing but furious — wouldn’t dream of showing my face to him if I were you.”

Minhyun took in Soonyoung’s answer with regard to his countenance. The gunner spoke easily as if he were a friend, but in his eyes rested the same unspoken threat that if Minhyun dared to use his enchantments again, Soonyoung would not hesitate to blow a hole in his gut in no time. Like how Jonghyun clipped his ear back in the cave — and the memory brought another smile to his face.

“All the more reason that I let him know how sorry I am about his ship,” said Minhyun, to which Soonyoung laughed in earnest.

“There will be time for that, Minhyun,” said Lord Aaron. “You’ll be staying with him, after all.”

Minhyun brightened at that. “My lord, will I, really?”

“Would you like that?” Aaron asked amusedly. “Even after he shot you? You do know that he would shoot you again if he must, don’t you?”

“He’s everything I want, my lord,” said Minhyun simply, yet cryptic. “I won’t be parted from him.”

**— » — « —**

The Quack, though bringing its owner’s reputation a notch down just for merely existing, was in fact frequented by the more decent folk in town. An establishment where high society could mingle with the commoners, the pub at midday was already filled with regulars, and their talk of the day was none other than the firing of the _Night Goblin_ ’s cannons at daybreak.

Thus, Lord Kwak Aaron Youngmin, Baron of Nottsoon, had ordered his carriage to drop them off at the back entrance of his property. Even if Minhyun did not turn out to be the siren he had hoped for, Lord Aaron did not want anyone else in New East Port to learn of his existence before the baron could make the necessary preparations. After all of their efforts that morning — including what he trusted to be a seamless charade of getting rid of the “nuisance that had nearly enchanted the fisherfolks to their deaths” — the baron would not have anyone spreading the actual fact that a siren would be living amongst them.

Jonghyun’s men could be trusted, some of The Quack’s staff could be trusted, but the rest of New East Port—even if they knew and accepted quite easily that their Little Potato, their Kim Jonghyun, was a full-fledged criminal in the eyes of the law — might not be too taken with harbouring a magical creature like Minhyun. At least not yet.

Lord Aaron unlocked the garden gate and led Minhyun, hooded and cloaked, and Soonyoung, sprightly even underneath such a dim midday sky, across the grounds and through another back door. It opened to a small private parlour where a young man crouched by the grate, tending to the fire. He stood upon seeing Aaron.

“My lord, welcome back,” Seokmin greeted and came to the baron’s assistance, taking his cloak and hat. Aaron threw himself immediately on a chair.

“Hullo, Seokmin-ah, are you all right now?” he inquired after the pirate. 

“Quite fine now, my lord,” Seokmin answered. “Dongho-hyung said my disposition allowed for the spell to wear off quicker than most.”

Minhyun realized that Seokmin must have been one of those who had fallen under his enchantment, and he averted his eyes in shame. Seokmin, to his credit, showed neither ill-will nor fear when he saw Minhyun and realized who he was. He even looked pleased to meet the owner of the voice that made him weep in a mix of hope and despair. “Your song was beautiful, sir,” the pirate told him, reminding Minhyun of his own amiability whenever it came to music. Soonyoung allowed himself a moment’s ease to check on his companion, nodding when he saw in Seokmin’s eyes that he had indeed returned to his normal, cheerful self.

“Well now, do come in; have a seat,” the baron beckoned his companions before standing up to ring the bell. Minhyun followed Soonyoung’s lead, taking the seat next to the hearth, where a dying fire fought to provide warmth until its last flickering breath. Seokmin then returned to his task of stoking it back to life while Soonyoung stood guard, his concealed pistol still at the ready.

In answer to the bell and in lieu of a servant, a burly gentleman carrying a brown leather bag entered the room. 

“Hyung!” Doctor Kang Dongho greeted the baron, his voice cheerful and soothing despite his size. He wrapped the smaller man in his arms, hitting — unintentionally — Aaron’s back with the bag as he did so. “And hullo, Soonyoung!” he nodded at the other pirate who hailed him back with a loud, “Dongho-hyung!” as if they had not seen each other just last night when their ship reached port.

Minhyun thought the man called Dongho would choke the life out of the noble, adding the fact that Aaron could only produce a strangled mewling in response at first. “Dongho-yah, I’m — truly glad to have you back,” he rasped as soon as Dongho loosened his grip, “and a thousand apologies for having another job for you so soon.” As he gestured vaguely towards Minhyun, the doctor looked at the hooded figure curiously.

“Could it be the siren?” asked Dongho, and Aaron nodded as he was released from the doctor’s hold. “Let’s see what’s wrong then.”

At the baron’s encouragement, Minhyun removed his hood hesitantly, revealing the bloodstained side of his face. Some blood had also trickled down the collar of his shirt, but it looked to have dried up and no fresh stain came after. Dongho shuffled towards Minhyun, gently moving his head to the side to inspect the injuries.

“It seems he’s hit his head against a rock,” Lord Aaron explained. “And Jonghyunnie... uh, fired a pistol at him.”

Dongho chuckled, looking at Minhyun with renewed interest. “Did he now? You’ve been rotten and provoked our Jonghyunnie, huh? What’s your name?” 

Confused at the doctor’s carefree reaction, the siren managed an answer. “My name is Minhyun,” he said.

“Hello, Minhyun. I am Dr. Kang Dongho, surgeon aboard the _Night Goblin_ , at your service.”

“Pleased to meet you, Doctor.”

Dongho had the same easy laughter as Soonyoung — he was bright, friendly, but also someone who looked like he should not be taken lightly. Returning to his inspection, the doctor then carefully gave his diagnosis, his breath tickling the side of Minhyun’s face. “There’s just a scalp wound up here — needs a little stitching,” said Dongho, “and the ear and the side of the head were grazed — the bullet went right between them. Had it gone lower, you’d have lost an ear … typical scare tactic of Jonghyunnie, I suppose … now, Seokmin-ah, could you fetch me that candle? Light it up, yes, thank you.”

After an inspection of Minhyun’s pupils with the candlelight, Dongho released him with a satisfied smile and turned back to Aaron. “Fortunately, he’s truly not in shock and — oh, Minhyun-ah, can you hear me out of your left ear? Yes? Good — so I’ll just need to close the scalp wound and clean up the grazed skin.” The doctor thus ended his prognosis.

“Thank goodness,” said Aaron, looking relieved. “You’ll be fine, Minhyun-ah, there’s nothing to worry about. I’ll be leaving you with Soonyoungie and Dr. Kang here for a while so he could patch you up.”

“Where will you go, my lord?” Minhyun asked.

“I’ve got a few things I need to attend to but I shall soon be back,” the baron assured, taking the siren’s hand and patting it comfortingly. He then retrieved his cloak and hat and made for the same door they had entered before.

“And Hyung … ?” Dongho called out. “He needs a bath.”

Lord Aaron paused in his steps and chuckled. “To be quite frank, you all do. Mrs. Joelle’s already seeing to it that everyone gets a good soaking before New East Port is completely overcome by winter. Well, goodbye!” Thus, the baron left, the sound of his carriage later fading in the distance.

“Bless my toes, a bath!” Soonyoung breathed, excited. “He meant the whole crew, didn’t he, Dongho-hyung?” 

“The whole crew, aye,” the doctor chuckled. He had opened his bag and was taking out a bottle, a needle and a thread. “Come now, Seokmin-ah, help me clean the wound. The quicker we do this, the sooner we all get our bath.”

“Right then, hot water,” the pirate nodded and headed out to find Mrs. Joelle, housekeeper for The Quack.

Dongho sat next to Minhyun and pulled out a pince-nez from his breast pocket, securing it on his nose bridge. Minhyun watched the doctor’s nimble fingers threading the needle in no time. His meandering thoughts about whether it would hurt to be sewn up was interrupted by a question he had been wanting to ask since.

“Doctor Kang.”

“Yes?”

“Why does Lord Aaron want a siren bride?” he asked. There was a pregnant silence where they stared at each other, until his curious expression then shifted to mirror the amusement in Dongho’s countenance. Even Soonyoung barked in laughter, though he immediately disguised it as a wheezing cough out of respect to their employer.

“To be quite frank, I don’t know exactly,” Dongho shrugged, taking out a few more things from his bag. “I suppose, when you are no longer in want of money, you tend to desire the impossible.”

To Minhyun it rang true; he never understood why humans spend their lives amassing wealth because he had neither want nor use for it. Yet he always desired what seemed to be the impossible; all of his kind apparently do. He was, however, a step closer to achieving that impossibility more so than any other siren he knew.

“Unfortunately, Aaron-hyung won’t be getting his near impossible desire anytime soon, with you being a male siren,” Dongho continued. “How did you know he was looking for one?”

“Jonghyun had mentioned it back in the cave.”

The doctor paused in his preparations to look at the siren. “Does he know you call him Jonghyun?”

Minhyun bit his lip. “Will he not like it if I call him that?” he asked. “Jonghyun-ah,” the siren tried calling out, pretending the captain was in the room with them. Seokmin, who had just returned carrying a basin of water and some linen sheets draped over his arm, paused to look around for their captain in vain before shrugging and joining them.

Dongho shared a strange look with Soonyoung. “He might like it … under select circumstances,” he said cautiously. “Perhaps, if you’ve convinced him well enough.” He gave Minhyun a supportive pat on the shoulder, though the siren wondered why Dongho and Soonyoung looked like they were keeping themselves from laughing.

Before Minhyun could ask what Dongho meant, the doctor stood up and tilted Minhyun’s face to the side so he could clean his wounds and then begin the surgery.

**— » — « —**

Jonghyun returned to The Quack in considerably better spirits, even after finding out his ship’s state of incapacity. At first, bad news piled on top of one another. They were already approaching winter but his carpenters would have to wait for repair supplies. It is uncertain when they could even find a new mast — Seungcheol’s merchant ship was bound to arrive in less than a week and Minki had informed him that any form of lumber would most likely not be in their cargo. New East Port was not the port town where one could comfortably refit a ship during emergencies, not even for a sloop like the _Night Goblin_. Thus his crew, while in truth would be spending their winter at home, might not be able to set sail immediately in the spring if they need to.

Yet Wonwoo was right; there was not much that they could do aside from rowing the ship back to the docks to prepare it for refitting. They were bound by time and unnatural circumstances — they could only wait it out. Having calmed down, he had space to assess his earlier behavior. Perhaps he had overreacted back in the cave. Much to his chagrin, he had been caught by surprise; expecting to suppress a siren song and ended up fending off a siren’s kiss. He had treated the siren — Minhyun — rougher than usual, though he had no qualms about firing that warning shot to protect Aaron from Minhyun’s enchantment.

It was already dusk when he arrived at the inn but Mrs. Joelle — bless her, truly — had ensured that a bath was kept warm for him. Jonghyun would have kissed her out of gratitude but she recoiled from his grimy face and ordered him to get clean and spare his bedfellow from disgust. As he sat in the tub, he mulled over what the housekeeper meant by bedfellow — and there he remembered that Minhyun was his responsibility until further notice. _Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows,_ Jonghyun recalled the saying, but he had a feeling that Minhyun was not exactly a stranger, was he?

When he went upstairs, the room was pitch-black save for the candlelight that Jonghyun carried with him. He found Minhyun quickly enough — asleep in his bed. Or at least feigning it, for when Jonghyun sat on his side of the bed to take a better look at the siren, Minhyun’s eyes fluttered open.

“Jonghyun-ah.” There was no resentment in Minhyun’s voice, only warmth and intimacy. “Are you not cold? Come to bed.”

Jonghyun placed the candle — and his pistol — on the night table and reached out to touch the side of Minhyun’s face. He recognized Dongho’s sutures on the scalp — clean and unobtrusive, except for the thin segment where he had to shave off the siren’s hair. Upon seeing the grazed skin by Minhyun’s ear, the captain sighed. “Forgive me,” he said, but Minhyun shook his head.

“No, forgive me. I shouldn’t have provoked you,” the siren said. He sat up so that their faces were level with each other. “I didn’t mean to use my voice that time, Jonghyun-ah, I just — I was certain you would have me gone from here and — I didn’t want to be sent away now that … that I’ve found you.”

Jonghyun could not help but flinch when the siren reached out to place a hand against his cheek. Instinct would have made him push it away; instead, he grasped it and touched Minhyun’s wrist with the tip of his nose. Jonghyun then took a deep breath. It was the scent of the sea, but not as far beyond as it was back in the cave. There was comfort in it, as when a haze had been lifted off a memory — of familiarity, of friendship, and of affection. Of Minhyun.

“Minhyun-ah…?” Jonghyun could not believe it. “How — why are you here?”

“You recognize me?” Minhyun breathed.

“But you’re a siren,” the pirate said with a confused frown on his face.

Minhyun nodded.

“I don’t understand … Have you always been one?”

“Since the day I came to be in this world. One does not make it a habit to offer humans knowledge of what we are, Jonghyun-ah, and, believe me, I didn’t mean to keep it from you.” The siren then gasped when Jonghyun folded him into his arms.

“And I was ready to kill you this morning,” he mumbled against Minhyun’s ear, his voice slightly trembling from horror of what he might have done. 

“Hush now, what matters is that you didn’t.”

Jonghyun’s hand caressed the braid that the siren’s long hair was twined in — he recognized Minki’s handiwork. “Ten years, wasn't it? Your hair grew out … and your voice dripped with too much magic. But I hear your voice now and,” he pulled away and looked into Minhyun’s eyes, “it _is_ you.”

“Ah, Jju-yah,” said Minhyun fondly, “you really do have stars in your eyes.”

Jonghyun chuckled, eyes softly twinkling in the candlelight, but his countenance remained lined with worry. “I came back for you but you were gone.”

“I had to go,” said Minhyun, looking down in sorrow. “Far too late when I realized I should've gone with you anyway.”

“What do you mean?” asked the captain.

“Come to bed, Jonghyun-ah,” Minhyun then implored. “Come to bed and I’ll tell you everything.”

“It’s been a while, Minhyun-ah,” said Jonghyun before closing the distance between them in a kiss — gentle at first, then slowly growing in fervor and need once Minhyun began to return it. They fell back onto the mattress, with Jonghyun groaning against Minhyun’s lips. “Perhaps you can tell me everything later.”

**— » to be continued « —**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahaha, some of the comments from the previous chapter were concerned about Jonghyun's treatment of Minhyun, I'm so sorry, guys, it's kinda in the job description but also maybe he didn't get enough sleep and only had bread for breakfast XD
> 
> Again, thank you to J-chan for the beta


	4. The Night Goblin

**— » — « —**

“Once upon a time in a faraway little island, there lived a beautiful siren boy named Minhyun…”

“Was he really beautiful?”

“Of course, he was. And he still is.”

“He is _now_. But ten years ago—”

“Who’s telling the story, Jju-yah?”

“You are, sweet dove.”

“Very well … Once upon a time in a faraway little island, there lived a beautiful siren boy named Minhyun. He had no father that he knew of, and all he remembered of his mother was that she prayed for her son’s survival and for good fortune in his future journey. The siren boy did not know what she meant by it; he was naught but six years at that time. But he and his mother promised each other that they will still sing beautiful songs even if they’re apart. The siren boy survived well enough — he had everything he needed on the island — but he never saw his mother ever again.”

Minhyun paused, nestling closer to the man beside him. He had never mentioned his mother to Jonghyun before. The pirate, sensing his hesitation, picked up Minhyun’s hand that was resting against his bare chest and kissed the palm of it.

“When Minhyun was fifteen, he met a very beautiful sailor boy named Jonghyun,” Minhyun continued, only to pause again to peer up at Jonghyun. “How come you do not ask whether the sailor boy was really very beautiful this time?” he asked suspiciously. 

“Aren’t you the one who’s telling the story, Minhyun-ah?” Even in the dim room, with the candle having long been extinguished and only slivers of moonlight peeking through the curtains, Minhyun could tell that Jonghyun’s eyes sparkled with mischief. 

“Scoundrel,” said Minhyun, though it was nothing short of affectionate, and his voice softened as he went back to telling his tale.

“It was Jonghyun’s first sailing adventure, but he was met with misfortune. The ship on which he worked as a cabin boy was overrun by mutineers, though he and one of the younger officers managed to jump overboard before they could be captured. They were washed ashore on Minhyun’s island, and the siren found the sailor in the morning. Minhyun found Jonghyun distraught over his companion — Jonghyun-ah, what was his name again?”

“Hongki-hyung,” Jonghyun answered, the memory of his older brother figure eliciting a sad little smile to his face. “He was shot.”

“Hongki-hyung was shot,” Minhyun agreed, picking up from where Jonghyun left off, “ and Jonghyun was becoming frantic over the wound. Thus Minhyun helped him. The young officer lived and Jonghyun nursed him back to health with Minhyun’s secret help, for Minhyun never showed himself to Hongki-hyung. If Jonghyun wondered, he never asked, but Minhyun only ever showed himself to Jonghyun and no one else.”

Jonghyun started at this, curious. “How come?” he asked, absentmindedly playing with Minhyun’s hand.

“Minhyun didn’t understand it either but he only ever felt safe with Jonghyun. He found out a fortnight later, after Minhyun turned sixteen and Jonghyun had left. Jonghyun and Hongki-hyung’s comrades found them; their ship had been retrieved. Jonghyun wanted Minhyun to come with him but Minhyun refused because he liked his home. Thus Jonghyun promised to return as soon as he could and Minhyun promised to wait for as long as it would take. But—”

Minhyun was cut off by a fervent kiss from Jonghyun, and the siren understood that the captain inwardly beat himself up for taking so long to return. Jonghyun’s ardent apology was spurred by a manic sense of loss that could only be eased by the most immediately intimate form of reconnection. Minhyun was the same; the ache in his heart even as he casually recounted their story felt similar as it did ten years ago — all he wanted was to lose himself in Jonghyun’s intoxicating touch all over again, just to alleviate the decade-long yearning and regret he had to go through. He needed to tell Jonghyun, however, that they had missed each other back then not because the captain had returned too late. 

“Jonghyun-ah,” Minhyun moaned, fighting the delirium that Jonghyun’s kisses were building up inside him. He tilted Jonghyun’s face to look into his eyes. “Jju-yah, listen,” he breathed, waiting for Jonghyun to regain his senses. The captain sighed, recovering his self-control. He propped himself up on his elbows on either side of Minhyun, hovering over him. 

“It wasn’t your fault,” declared Minhyun. “I left just a day after you did — when I turned sixteen. I couldn’t fight it; I had become so restless that it pained me to stay there despite my promise to you.”

“Wanderlust,” said Jonghyun in understanding, and Minhyun nodded.

“Do you know what they say about my kind?” the siren then asked.

“Many things,” the pirate answered, his eyes never leaving Minhyun. “How you lure sailors to their deaths with your song, how ships are drawn to shipwreck. How men are trapped in your islands forever, crippled by false promises of fountains of wisdom and then dying of starvation — and for no apparent reason, for you never consume them as men do food…”

Before Minhyun could throw light upon the tales that were told about sirens, Jonghyun continued. “And how your people experienced a loss so great, you were never the same again.”

“Jju-yah…”

“Wonwoo is an avid reader, you see,” said Jonghyun. He then rolled himself off of Minhyun and sat up. “One day, he told me of how, in one book, sirens were once said to be winged creatures. Then they lost their wings to the cruel gods in a pointless competition, mourning their loss ever since. Wonwoo thought that, perhaps, sirens were singing about their lost wings, but neither he nor I could think of a good reason why men would appear to have to die for it.”

Minhyun sat up as well, leaning snugly against Jonghyun from the side and laying his cheek against his back. Jonghyun felt Minhyun’s fingers tracing the outlines of his back, lingering on the contours of his shoulder blade.

“The gods were cruel indeed.” Minhyun spoke so quietly that Jonghyun almost did not hear him. “They gave them to humans, Jonghyun-ah. Then they cursed us with the desire to regain possession of our wings, yet made it impossible all the same. No siren has ever been known to have recovered their wings, only that they would often die of despair, either for not being able to find them, or for having killed the men who were born with them. And those men … they do not know; they do not see that they have siren wings on their backs. Only a siren sees his own wings, and only if he does find the human who has them.”

“All this time, you were searching for your wings…” Jonghyun whispered as Minhyun moved to sit on his lap, the tips of their noses touching — and their eyes locked in a gaze not unlike what they had shared back in the cave, albeit a tad more intense and heated.

“I was searching for _you_ ,” Minhyun said, punctuating his confession with a light kiss on Jonghyun’s lips. “That day I left home, I couldn’t bear to stay a minute longer because my heart burned for you. I didn’t understand back then — I thought that when you left me, it had been my heart that you’d brought with you.”

The siren broke off his passionate gaze into the pirate captain’s starry eyes, focusing instead on the majestic pair of silvery-white wings arching off of Jonghyun’s back.

“I’d often wondered back when we first met, whether I could ask if you were an angel, just so I could tell you what I really am in return,” Minhyun went on, fighting off a small smile — albeit with watery eyes — as he remembered his own foolish thoughts and the painful realization that soon followed. “Only after I’d left to find you did I realize you really were just human, and that I’d been merely looking at my own missing wings the whole time we were together.”

And Minhyun wept in Jonghyun’s arms, uncertain whether it was truly out of relief that he found both of what he thought he had lost forever, or possibly out of fear that, in trying to get his wings back, he might cause Jonghyun to die after all.

**— » — « —**

“Hyung.”

Jonghyun woke up to soft light reflected on a pair of round-rimmed glasses. “Wonwoo-yah,” he croaked, shielding his eyes even from what little brightness was there. “Is it time?”

“Aye. An hour before midnight.” Wonwoo placed the lantern he carried on the nightstand hidden behind the bed curtains. It barely illuminated the room with muted warm light. The quartermaster was dressed heavily, wearing a cloak similar to what he lent to Minhyun earlier. On his feet were fresh boots, and they made very little sound as Wonwoo trod stealthily into the room, allowing him to wake only his captain from sleep.

Jonghyun groaned as he found his movement constricted by Minhyun’s pale long limbs entwined with his. The siren slept deeply, his face resting in the crook of Jonghyun’s neck and his steady breaths tickling Jonghyun’s skin. The captain slowly extricated himself from Minhyun’s embrace, taking care not to disturb him. He managed to sit up, but not without leaving a feathery little peck on the siren’s tall nose.

“Jonghyun-hyung, your back,” Wonwoo gasped, placing a hand against Jonghyun’s shoulder to stop him from moving. He retrieved the lantern and shone it on the captain’s back, frowning at the red welts crisscrossing the skin. Most of the scratches were on the shoulder blade area, and they had risen into angry red welts, some of which were broken skin and had dried blood on them. 

Jonghyun hissed involuntarily in pain when Wonwoo pressed a finger against one of the welts. “It’s nothing, don’t worry,” he said, shrugging off the quartermaster’s touch as he got out of bed. Jonghyun padded quietly towards the foot of the four-poster where a change of clothing and similar outdoor gear had been laid out for him. He began dressing.

“I can’t tell which one’s yours,” the quartermaster then mumbled, “and which is his.” Jonghyun saw that Wonwoo had put down the lantern again and was folding two sets of dressing gowns — both of which had been completely discarded and forgotten in the early hours of the night when Jonghyun and Minhyun had made love.

“Wonwoo-yah, if you’ve got something you would like to say to me…” Jonghyun muttered in return, feeling his face heat up even as he pulled on a fresh shirt. He could not quite name the expression on Wonwoo’s face this time; one of the quartermaster’s known skills was keeping up a most excellent poker face. Jonghyun was normally accurate in reading his companions but aside from his gut instinct that something bothered Wonwoo, his best guess was that there was less of the usual goodwill and regard that his shipmate had in reserve for him.

“Hyung, I never imagined you could — and would — touch what is, strictly speaking, Lord Aaron’s property,” Wonwoo answered, betraying the disappointment he felt through the tone of his voice. “Weren’t you supposed to be looking after the baron’s interests?” he asked, clearly seeking an explanation.

The captain sighed, inwardly bristling when Minhyun was regarded as someone’s “property.” Strictly speaking, Wonwoo was not wrong — as the baron’s paid men, Jonghyun and his crew retrieved the siren for Lord Aaron. If it had been any other siren — if Jonghyun had not recognized Minhyun — he probably would not have cared at all. “I still am, Wonwoo-yah, but, as it turns out, Minhyunnie is…” he trailed off, searching for the right words to say. He shook his head, giving up, for there was no other way to say it. “Minhyun is mine,” Jonghyun said plainly. “Always has been.”

He saw a flicker in Wonwoo’s eyes — was it surprise? Disbelief? Perhaps rumination, as the quartermaster was likely to try and make sense of something as incredulous as what Jonghyun had just claimed.

After a long pause, Wonwoo asked, “On account of our mutual trust, won’t you tell me everything?”

It was Jonghyun’s turn to be quiet. Wordlessly, he finished getting dressed. He turned to the sleeping Minhyun, giving his cheek a soft kiss. He then gently and securely tucked the siren under the bedclothes and drew the bed curtains to keep Minhyun warm in his absence. Picking up the lantern, Jonghyun stepped out of the room to join Wonwoo, who had opted to wait in the hallway. Their eyes met for a brief pause before the captain gave an almost imperceptible nod.

“All right, Jeon Wonwoo,” Jonghyun finally said, handing the light back to his shipmate. “Let’s take a walk and I shall tell you.”

**— » — « —**

As the pair of pirates covertly made their way to the docks where the _Night Goblin_ was berthed, Wonwoo listened to the captain’s story. Spoken in deep, hushed tones, Jonghyun recounted first how he and Minhyun had met previously, and then the pertinent details of the circumstances that led to the siren’s capture in New East Port.

Soonyoung and Seokmin were on deck playing dice, but they stood in full attention and removed their hats when Jonghyun and Wonwoo approached and boarded the ship. “Evening, Captain, Wonnie,” Soonyoung greeted amiably, Seokmin echoing with a version of his own.

“Hats on, lads, it’s a cold night,” Jonghyun said kindly. He and Wonwoo then made their way to Jonghyun’s cabin, which they lit up and locked from the inside.

Wonwoo handed Jonghyun a key, which the captain inserted into a tiny hole on the floor behind his desk. A latch lifted and Jonghyun pulled, revealing a sizable wooden chest in the cavity underneath. They each took a handle on either side and heaved it out. The chest landed on the floor with a thud and muted clinking. Jonghyun then took off his hat and from inside the lining pulled out a second key. With the chest unlocked and the contents confirmed, they placed it on the desk. It was all of the crew’s plunder, already converted into sovereigns for easier apportioning of each man’s share. Jonghyun took his seat and Wonwoo pulled up a chair across him, taking out a couple of ledgers from the satchel he carried. They began counting, sorting the gold coins into stacks according to the quartermaster’s books.

“What if he’s lying?” Wonwoo suddenly asked after a long while, pausing from making entries in his ledger. He had not given Jonghyun any reaction after the captain had finished telling his story, appearing to have been mulling things over in his head again. Jonghyun knew this part about Wonwoo and waited, going on with their business per usual until the quartermaster had formed his thoughts on the matter.

Jonghyun paused in his counting. “Then perhaps he shall be the death of me.” The simplicity in the way Jonghyun said it would have been a mystery to Wonwoo if he did not consider his captain’s tendency to warmly embrace the notion of death.

“You believe all of it,” said Wonwoo pensively, “or you hope there’s enough truth in it that could lead to your demise.”

“Surprisingly enough,” Jonghyun replied, shaking his head as he swept a stack of coins into a pouch, “I don’t really feel like dying now. At least until I figure out how to give Minhyun his wings back.”

“That’s hardly any different from how you’ve been living your life, _sir_ ,” the younger man countered almost snappishly. “With all due respect,” he added as an afterthought.

Jonghyun frowned. “Once again, if you’ve got something you would like to say to me…”

“Very well, captain, I shall speak plainly,” said Wonwoo, taking a deep breath. “In as much as I would like to believe otherwise, I don’t think you’ve had any regard for your own life at all. Not even now.” 

There was a brief pause as Wonwoo mustered the courage to continue. Despite this chance at an early rebuttal, Jonghyun found himself at a loss for words.

“You’ve always been unhappy about having turned to piracy but you’ve never even thought of stopping for your own sake, haven’t you? It was always, ‘ _at least until we’ve earned enough for the town,_ ’ or ‘ _at least until every man onboard has set aside enough to retire comfortably._ ’ You merely relish the idea of being stopped; you know the law will convict and punish you if they caught you, and you wish death would catch up to you and kill you while we’re out at sea. But you wouldn’t surrender, of course, and you know better than to take your own life. You do nothing more than let yourself be eaten away by your conscience because you think you have to go on living for the sake of others. In the years I’ve known you, I often hear you look forward to the end of your life. But never have I ever truly seen you live it for yourself.”

“Wonwoo-yah…”

“Now you’ve found yourself a siren lover to whom you’d gladly give up a pair of wings you’ve never even seen,” Wonwoo went on, ignoring his captain’s attempt to soothe him. “Your back bleeds with your blind attempts but you don’t even know if you could really restore his wings. What if you can’t? What if you only die trying? What if giving it back means giving your life up?”

“I will try regardless,” Jonghyun declared sharply, the memory of Minhyun’s heartbroken sobs cementing his resolve. “If I have to forfeit my life in the process then so be it. Minhyun would have his wings then, and that’s all that matters to me now.”

The quartermaster deflated, his rare display of temper dying as soon as it had flared up.

“Believe me when I say it though,” Jonghyun then added, his tone softened, imploring. He gripped Wonwoo’s arm almost pleadingly. “I want nothing more than to return Minhyun’s wings and still be able to live the rest of my life with him. If I could have just that … then trust me, I will do what it takes to get it.”

Wonwoo regarded his captain, searching the latter’s eyes and finding nothing but a determined tenderness. “I’ve always believed and trusted in you, Hyung. I don’t plan on changing that.”

Jonghyun smiled, patting the younger man’s arm. “Thank you.”

Wonwoo nodded, picking up the quill to resume writing. But he paused again. “Am I to understand … that you do, in fact, love the siren?” he asked, genuine concern lining his face.

“He is everything to me,” Jonghyun said simply. “I would not be parted from him.”

**— » — « —**

Hours later, Jonghyun returned to Minhyun's side. He had changed back into his nightshirt and dress robes, then climbed on the bed, joining the siren under the bed covers once more. 

Minhyun stirred awake, his arms instantly reaching out to wrap themselves around Jonghyun. "Jonghyun-ah," he sighed as he nuzzled against the captain's chest. “Are you going to get in trouble because of me?” He felt Jonghyun tense a little so he looked up to meet his eyes. “I heard you and Wonwoo earlier … The baron?”

Jonghyun shook his head, his heart beating fiercely as he pulled Minhyun snugly towards him. “I won’t get in trouble.”

“I see … Regardless, I should tell you that you’re right.”

“About what?” Jonghyun asked, though he thought he knew the answer.

“That I’m yours,” Minhyun said, giving him a tender smile. “Always have been. Always will.”

**— » to be continued « —**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgot to put a quick note about the sirens in this fic: I based it off the Greek mythology winged version and combined it with some headcanons for this story. Basically made up that whole thing about humans being involved further than just being siren prey, hahaha. Hope you like it (but it's ok if not hehe)! 
> 
> Once more, thank you, J-chan, for the beta. I promise this thing has an ending.


End file.
